An injector used for artificial insemination and containing 0.25ml of saline in a plastic straw was inserted into an outer plastic tube. It was inserted gently approximately 1-2cm into the cervical lumen until resistance was felt. Then it was extended carefully, breaking through the paper covering, and manipulated into the anterior portion of the cervix and body of the uterus. After having reached the uterine body, the injector was carefully removed from the cow without expelling into the uterine body.
In case no sterile speculum was used, the injector was introduced into the cervix in the same manner as for artificial insemination.
Saline was collected into the sterile tube. In all cases cultures were carried out aerobically and anaerobically on bovine blood agar plates at 37°C. Swabs were also taken from the atricum vargina for bacteriological examination.
Of 51 swabs, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Pasteurella, and Escherichia were isolated aerobically from 35 (68.6%), 16 (31.4%), 12 (23.5%), and 9 (17.6%) swabs, respectively.
Streptococcus and Pasteurella were isolated anaerobically from 35 (68.6%) and 21 (41.2%) swabs, respectively. The sterile rate was 7 (13.7%) aerobically and 11 (21.6%) swabs anaerobically.
When no outer plastic tube was used, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Pasteurella, and Escherichia were isolated aerobically from 12 (57.1%), 9 (42.9%), 6 (28.6%), and 6 (28.6%) of 21 swabs, respectively. Streptococcus, Pasteurella, and Escherichia were isolated anaerobically from 10 (47.6%), 8 (38.1%), and 6 (28.6%) of the 21 swabs, respectively. The sterile rate was 3 (14.3%) aerobically and 8 (38.1%) anaerobically.
When the outer plastic tube was used, the sterile rate was extremely high, or 22 (73.3%) aerobically and 29 (96.7%) out of 30 anaerobically. These results indicate that the injector used with the outer plastic tube had an effect to prevent microorganisms from entering the uterus.

View full abstract

On a hog farm in Miyazaki Prefecture a home-produced primiparous sow gave birth to 9 piglets, fiveof which died within 24 hours after birth, discharging red bloody feces. Autopsy revealed hemorrhagic enteritis in the small intestine, especially in the jejunum. Necrosis, hemorrhage, and emphysema were seen in villi, submucosa, and tunica propria mucosae of the jejunum.
After bacterial culture a small amount of Clostridium perfringens was isolated from parenchymatous organs and 10⁹-10¹⁰ organisms jg of this species were from the jejunal contents in dead piglets. When 4 isolated strains were examined for toxin type, 2 strains were of type A organisms and another two of type C ones. The 4 strains showed an a-toxin value of more than 3.
The isolates were highly Sensitive to penicillin, aminobenzyl penicillin, and bacitracin, but not at all to streptomycin, kanamycin, or colistin. Finally, this case was diagnosed as enterotoxemia caused by mixed infection with type A and C organisms of a high virulent strain of C. perfringens.

View full abstract

Experiments were conducted to investigate the clinical and metabolic effects of long acting progesterone on habitual abortion of dairy cattle.
Fifteen dairy cattle (11 Holstein cows and 4 heifers) were divided randomly into four groups for treatment. Group 1 of 3 cows was given 100mg of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17α-OHPC) at 7-day intervals, Group 2 of 4 cows and one heifer 100 mg of 17α-OHPC at 10-day intervals, Group 3 of one cow and 3 heifers 200 mg of 17α-OHPC at 7-day intervals, and Group 4 of 3 cows 200mg of 17α-OHPC at 10-day intervals.
Treatment was started about half or one month prior to the predicted time of abortion and continued until 7 months of pregnancy in most cases. Progesterone in milk was measured by radioimmunoassay.
As a result, 10 animals gave birth to healthy calves following the normal range of pregnancy period. There were no significant differences in the effect of 17α-OHPC among Groups 1, 2 and 4. In Group 3 one mummiffid and 2 aborted fetuses were noticed. The level of progesterone in milk was lower in all the treated animals, except one, than in normally calving animals. There was a shift in the lowest level of progesterone in milk during the period of pregnancy in all the treated and aborted animals, as well as normally calving animals.

View full abstract

A total of 199 strains of fecal Escherichia coli were isolated from chickens and cattle in Thailand in 1979.
Of them, 96 strains were isolated from chickens, 89 (93%) of which were resistant to one or more of the drugs used. The most common resistant pattern was multiple against streptomycin (SM), tetracycline (TC) and sulfadimethoxine (SDM). Of the 89 resistant strains, 21 (24%) had conjugative R plasmids. Most of the 103 strains isolated from cattle were sensitive to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin and SM, and only 22 (21%) resistant to either TC or SDM.

View full abstract

A Shetland pony stallion was subjected to autopsy to obtain the following results.
The left and right testes weighed 38.2 and 31.0 g, respectively. The average weight of the epididymis was 10.2 g. The ampulla ductus deferentis was 8.3×1.2×1.0 cm, on the average, in size, the vesicula seminalis 4.9×3.1 cm, the prostata 3.5×2.5×1.4, and the glandula bulbourethralis 2.5× 1.8×0.7 cm.
Sperms in the epididymides showed the following measurements (in microns): length of head, 7.2±0.9; width of head, 3.9±0.1; length of tail, 49.4±1.4; total length, 56.6±1.3.

View full abstract

Clinical and clinicopathological observations were carried out on a Holstein-Friesian cow 7 years of age with mastocytoma. The cow had nodular lesions in various skin regions and multiple nodular lesions in the regions of tail base and vulva. Swelling was also found in the supramammary lymph nodes, and a large tumor mass in the pelvic cavity, as revealed by rectal palpation.
In the course of clinical observation for about 14 months, nodular lesions on the skin increased gradually in number, but appeptite was not changed. In blood examination, plasma prothrombin time was extended and some mast cells appeared in bone marrow.
Histopathologically, mast cells proliferated markedly in the corium of the skin, liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, general lymph nodes and mammary glands.

View full abstract